Corrugated fiberboard containers have been used for many years as shipping and storage containers for a large variety of products. Corrugated fiberboard generally refers to a multi-layer sheet material comprised of sheets of liner bonded to central corrugated layers of medium. Single-wall corrugated involves two sheets of liner bonded on alternate sides of one corrugated medium while double-wall corrugated involves three liners bonded alternatively to two corrugated mediums. Corrugated fiberboard containers may vary greatly in size and weight depending on the intended usage of the container.
The distribution of products in large containers is common in a wide variety of industries, ranging from automotive to food. Corrugated semi-bulk containers (“CBCs”) are examples of containers common in the meat industry for storing and shipping beef, pork, and other animal products between processing facilities and from those processing facilities to customers. CBCs often require local horizontal zones of additional reinforcement for containment, to prevent container failure and to ensure the products are saleable when they arrive at the end of the distribution process and any auxiliary processes. Reinforcement methods are often used on CBCs and other corrugated containers to increase the performance.
Internal reinforcement of corrugated board may include polymeric straps located between one of the sheets of liner and one of the mediums to further enhance the bulge or tear resistance of the structure, increasing the performance of the overall container. However, even when polymeric straps are included within the corrugated board structure, a weak spot generally occurs at a manufacturing joint, which is an area of overlap of the fiberboard sheet when a container is formed. Because the corrugated board is discontinuous at this joint, the internal reinforcement is also discontinuous, creating a zone of failure at the joint. This weakness is typically overcome by using external reinforcement in conjunction with or in lieu of internal reinforcement.
External reinforcement is most often accomplished by the use of multiple horizontal bands of strapping material. These external reinforcing straps may be placed on the container when it is in a flat semi-assembled orientation before being formed into a typically shaped container (“knocked down”) or may be applied after the container has been formed into its final typical shape (“set-up”). Previous reinforcing straps have been made from metallic materials or polymeric materials. The reinforcing straps are formed onto a set-up CBC or around a knocked down CBC in a continuous loop, with the two ends of the strapping material typically attached together using methods common in the industry. Metallic straps may be crimped together, while polymeric straps may be heat welded together.
External reinforcements are often costly and time-consuming to place on container assemblies. The process of adding external reinforcements often requires significant manual labor, and the placement and/or tension levels often vary, depending, for example, on the operator. Although the process may be automated on a conveyor, extensive capital expense and a dedicated manufacturing line are required to do so. Additionally, because the external reinforcements are often polymeric, metallic, or the like, the external reinforcements are more harmful to the environment than a fiberboard container alone.
Furthermore, the bottoms of existing containers are typically comprised of several flaps, each of which extends from a respective side of the container. The flaps are then attached to one another using an adhesive or other suitable means for attachment to form the bottom. The resulting “interrupted” bottom includes holes that allow for the contents of the container—particularly liquid contents—to escape from the container. Additionally, the interrupted bottom is often prone to snagging and/or tearing a plastic liner that may be contained within the container. The interrupted bottom is also prone to being accidentally opened, or “blown-out,” thereby releasing the contents of the container.
Thus, it would be desirable to use a container that addresses one or more of the above-described disadvantages.